Texas beats Vanderbilt 70-64

By Mike Finger :
December 2, 2013
: Updated: December 3, 2013 11:34am

Texas's Jonathan Holmes (right) scrambles for a loose ball in front of Vanderbilt's Rod Odom during the first half. Holmes scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Odom finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

AUSTIN — Isaiah Taylor, like several of his young Texas teammates, spends much of his time asking for trust. He wants his coach to give him more responsibility, his teammates to believe in him, and most of all, he wants the opportunity to make big plays late in a game.

“Down the stretch, I want the ball in my hands,” he said.

In a 70-64 victory over Vanderbilt at the Erwin Center on Monday, Taylor experienced the benefits and the downside of such a privilege.

The freshman point guard scored 14 points and hit two key floaters to help the Longhorns build a late lead, but also participated in the free-throw meltdown that almost cost UT the game.

Fortunately for the Longhorns, they rediscovered their body control — and their shooting stroke — just in time. After Vanderbilt (4-3) cut its deficit to 63-62 with 33.6 seconds left, UT's Javan Felix made a pair of free throws to give the Longhorns a three-point lead.

Then the Commodores ran a play for sharp-shooting forward Rod Odom, but he slipped near the 3-point line, allowing a pass to go out of bounds.

“It's a shame,” Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said, “because he was going to be open.”

That turned out to be the Commodores' last chance, as Holland's three-point play at the other end put the game out of reach.

For the Longhorns, it was another tight finish in a season that already has been full of them. Five of UT's first eight games have been decided by seven points or fewer.

This time, the Longhorns got 12 points apiece from Holland and Felix and 11 from Yancy. Johnathan Holmes, who returned to the lineup after missing Friday's game because of the death of his grandmother, had nine points and seven rebounds.

Taylor, who handed out eight assists, said the team never panicked even when things started going badly.

“As we've played these close games, we've become more comfortable with the situation,” Taylor said.